Applicator for applying liquid to hair



Jan. 26, 1960 L. L. LERNER ET AL APPLICATOR FOR APPLYING LIQUID TO HAIR Filed April 24, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 26, 1960 1.. L. LERNER ETAL 2,922,425

APPLICATOR FOR APPLYING LIQUID TO HAIR Filed April 24, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 APPLICATOR FOR APPLYING LIQUID T HAIR Louis L. Lerner and Albert Safianoli, Chicago, Ill., as-

' signors to The Gillette Company, Chicago, Ill., a cor poration of Delaware Application April 24, 1957, Serial No. 654,887

' 7 Claims. (11. 132-9 This invention relates to an applicator for applying 1 a treating liquid to hair and pertains more specifically to an applicator for use in applying lotions such as hairwaving lotions to hair while it is wound upon a curler.

In'the cold permanent waving of hair, the usual pro- 2,922,425 Patented Jan. 26, 1960 scale showing compression of the bibulous material when the applicator is used upon a wound tress of hair;

Fig. 8 is a view corresponding to Fig. 7 but showing a'further stage in the use of the device;

Fig. 9 is a view in section taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a view in side elevation showing another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 11 is a view in end elevation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is an exploded isometric view showing still another embodiment of the invention adapted for use with pin curls;

cedure involves winding the hair upon a curler and applying to the hair, either before or after winding or both, a solution of a reducing agent capable of splitting the disulfide bonds in the hair keratin and softeningthe The softened hair, after it has assumed the desired curled configuration, is then hardened in its new curled configuration, either by treating the hair with a solution of a suitable oxidizing agent known as a neutralizer or by-subjecting the hair to aerial oxidation simply by exposing it to atmospheric oxygen in order to restore the disulfide linkages.

The application of the solution of'reducing agent or waving lotion to the hair, particularly after it has been wound upon the hair curler, has in the past been a difficult operation for unskilled operators to carry out.

One object of the present invention is to provide an applicator for applying a liquid treating material such as a permanent waving lotion to the hair with a minimum of loss and a minimum of contact between the lotion and the scalp.

Another object is to provide an applicator for infusing a liquid hair-treating material into a tress of hair wound upon a curler while simultaneously applying the liquid treating composition to the outer surface of the wound 3 hair tress.

Still another object is to provide an applicator of the type described having a plurality of apertures or orifices through which the liquid is introduced into capillary drawing and from the description which follows.

7 In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view, partly broken away, showa ing one embodiment of the present invention mounted upon a flexible, plastic, squeeze bottle containing the liquid material to be applied to the hair;

Fig.2 is an exploded view showing the embodiment of Fig. 1 with the mass of resilient, compressible, bibulous material removed from its normal position;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in longitudinal section on an enlarged scale taken along the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in cross section on an enlarged scale taken along line 55 of Fig. 3;

- Fig. 6 is a view in section on an enlarged scale taken along line 6-6 of'Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to Fig. 6 on a still larger Fig. 13 is a top plan view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a view in side elevation, partly broken away and'in section, taken along line 14-14 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a view in section taken along line 15-15 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a view in section taken along line 1616 of'Fig. 15 showing the device applied to a pin curl; and Fig. 17 is a View taken along line 17-17 of Fig. 16.

As shown in the drawings, the applicator of the present invention includes an elongated manifold chamber 10 (Fig. 4) having an elongated wall 12 along which is mounted an array of spaced, projecting infusion members 14, 14. Arranged about the margin of wall 12 and circumscribing the array of infusion members 14 is an upstanding retaining wall 16, the latter being cut away at each end of the device as shown at 18 in order to accommodate the tress of hair wound upon a curler, as will be described more fully hereinafter.

Manifold chamber 10 in the embodiment shown is mounted upon and is molded integrally with screw cap 20 provided with an aperture 22 in its upper face connecting with the manifold chamber 10. Screw cap 20 is adapted to be screwed on the threaded neck of a flexible, resilient, plastic container 24 such as a molded polyethylene bottle which may contain a supply of the desired hairtreating liquid. Any equivalent means for mounting the manifold chamber upon a squeeze bottle or the like may be provided instead of screw cap 20 if desired.

The individual infusion members 14, 14 are arranged in the embodiment shown in two staggered rows, as appears best in Fig. 3. Each member 14 is provided with a channel 26 of capillary proportions extending along a side of the member from its base toward its tip, the channel of each infusion member 14 facing transversely of the longitudinal axis of the elongated array, as appears best in Figs. 3 and 4. At the base of each infusion member 14 there is provided an aperture or orifice 28 in wall 12, each orifice 28 connecting with the bottom of a channel 26 and permitting limited flow of the liquid hair-treating solution from manifold chamber 10 into channels 26, 26.

Disposed within retaining wall 16 and resting upon wall 12 is a mass 32 of resilient, compressible, bibulous material such as regenerated cellulose sponge, polyurethane sponge, felt, or the like, the mass of bibulous material surrounding each hair-penetrating infusion member 14 and extending from the base of the members 14 to a point adjacent their tips, so that members 14, 14 are embedded in the mass.

In use, the device mounted upon squeeze bottle 24 is tilted to permit the liquid to flow from the bottle through aperture 22 into manifold chamber 10, thence through orifices 28, 28 and along capillary channels 26, 26. Squeeze bottle 24 may be manipulated or squeezed manually to accelerate the flow of liquid if desired. The liquid'hair-treating material passing along channels 26, 26 rapidly 'dilfuses into sponge mass 32which becomes saturated with the liquid. The applicator is then pressed against a tress of hair 36 which has previously been wound upon a curling rod 38 so that the compressible spongy mass 32 is compressed against wall 12 as shown in Fig. 8, causing the liquid with which it has previously been saturated to be exuded onto the surface of the spongy mass and thus applied to the outer surface of the wound tress of hair. Simultaneously, additional liquid forced through orifices 28, 28 by tilting and/ or squeezing of bottle 24 is carried along capillary channel 26'toward the tip of each of the hair-penetrating infusion'members 14,14 which have been forced into-theinterionof the wound tress as shown in Fig. -8, thus supplying additional liquid treating material to the interior of the wound tress of hair. I

'If desired, the spongy mass- 32 may be first removed before applying the device to the hair, as When-applying neutralizer liquid, in order to obtain thorough penetration and diifusion'of the neutralizer into the tress.

Because of the location of the capillary'channels 26,

-26 facing transversely of-the longitudinal axis of the array, the individual hair fibers of the wound tress, which also extend in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the array, pass on either side of thehair-penetrating members as shown in Fig. 9, thusavoidingthe possibility of obstructing the channels and-permitting free flow of the treating liquid through-the-channels into the mass of hair. In the event that the wound tress of hair on curling rod 38 is longer than the length of manifold chamber 10, the cutaway portions 18, 18 at each end of the'device accommodate the generally cylindrical wound hair tress and permit compression of the resilient, compressible mass 32.

- the infusion members 68 enter the hair tress, channels 72 -will face in a direction generally parallel to theadjacent hair fibers of the tress which have been parted by the inof dowel pins 70. Each infusion member 68 is provided with a channel 72 of capillary proportions extending along opposite sides of the member from its base toward its tip. In this embodiment each channel faces in a direction transverse to a radius drawn from the channel or infusion member to the center of the array. In the base of each channel 72 is provided an aperture or orifice 74 which passes through Wall 66 and communicates with the manifold chamber.

As appears best in Figs. 13 and 15 the circular array of infusion members is interrupted at intervals to provide space for receiving a bibulous member 76in the form of a cross of cellulose sponge which seats upon wall 66 between infusion members 68.

In use, this embodiment is pressed against a pin curl or a flat spiral curl of hair so that the infusion members 68 penetrate into the tress, as shown in Fig. 16. In applying the applicator to the pin curl, the center of the array of infusion members preferably is aligned as nearly as possible with the center of the spiral curl so that as fusion member, as appears in Fig. 17, so that the result pump 44 arranged to deliver a stream'of liquid hairtreating material, the supply of which is containedwithin bottle 40, through flexible tubing 46 to a separate applicator unit 43 which includes an elongated manifold chamber 50 with oneend ofwhich tube 46 communicates.

Arranged along the top wallof chamber 50 is an elongated array of spaced projecting'infusion"members 52, 52

- having a cut-away portion 54 "at each'en'd of'the applicator head, is provided with two pairs of arcuatespacing comes in contact with the hair.

is analogous to that obtained when the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 9 is pressed against a tress of hair wound in generally cylindrical form upon a hair curler asshown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. It will be apparent that actuation of a squeeze bottle on which cap 60 is mounted will serve to force a supply of hair treating liquid through apertures 74, 74 and along channels 72, 72 into the interior of the pin curl while bibulous member 76, as it becomes saturated with the'hair-treating liquid, will serve to apply the liquid to the face of the pin curl.

It will be understood, of course, that the applicator of the present invention may also be employed for applying liquid treating material to a tress of hair before it is wound upon a curler simply by drawing or rubbing the applicator along the length of the hair tress so that the liquid material with which mass32 or 76 is saturated However, the .device is particularly suited for use in applying liquid treating f materials to hair tresses wound on curlers or in flat pin members or arms 56, 56, one at each end of the applicator head, which serve to ensure that the infusion members 52 are spaced from the scalp and 'which serve to guide the applicator head into proper position over a tress of hair wound upon a'curling rod. A handle member 58 is provided to facilitate manipulation of the applicator head. The use of this device, as will be apparent from the foregoing description, is the same as that of the device shown in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, except that plunger pump 44 is actuated as desired to provide a supply of hair treating liquid.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 12 to 17, inclusive, is particularly adapted for use with pin curls, i;e., curls in which the tress of hair is in the form of a flat spiral close to the scalp. In this embodiment a rigid, generally cycurls.

The precise number, size, and spacing of the hairpenetrating infusion members'is not critical, but will depend in part upon the size of the wound-hair tress and the amount of treating material which it is desired to apply. The arrangement of the individual infusion members in the elongated or circular array may also be varied, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in order to provide any desired distribution of liquid'treating material through the hair tress.

Since in the case of the usualliquid hair-treating materials of low or moderate viscosity/the size of orifice 28or 74 must be quite small in'order toavoid excessive- 1y rapid rate of flow, it has been found advantageous,

lindrical bottlecap 66 is provided with a liner 62 adhered to its inner face and carrying screw threads 64, by means of which the cap may be mounted on a conventional squeeze bottle, the space within the upper portion of cap 60 serving as a manifold chamber which communicates directly with the interior of the squeeze bottle on which cap 60 is mounted. A wall 66 closes off the top of cap 60 and the manifold chamber. On wall 66 and projecting outwardly therefrom is mounted a generally circular array of elongated upstanding infusion members 68, 68, the infusion members in this embodiment being of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration, as best shown in Fig. 15, and being secured to wall 66 by means when making the device of the present invention from molded plastic material as is preferred, to mold an aperture of relatively large diameter in wall '12 and arrange it to overlap the end of channel 26 only in part, as appears best in Fig. 7. This avoids the necessity for having mold pins of very. small diameter which are readily broken while at the same time permitting ready control of the size of the orifice.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein, it is not intended to limit the invention solely thereto, but to include all of the obvious variations and modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim: 1. An applicator'for applying a'hair-treating liquid to a wound tress of hair comprising a manifold chamber,

K an array of spaced projecting infusion'membersmounted on a wall of said manifold chamber and extending outwardly therefrom adapted to penetrate into said wound tress when pressed thereagainst, each said infusion member having a channel extending along a side thereof from its base toward its tip, each said channel facing transversely of said array and communicating with the interior of said manifold chamber through said wall, and an outwardly projecting retaining wall secured to said chamber wall completely circumscribing said array.

2. An applicator as defined in claim 1 comprising in addition means for introducing said liquid under pressure into said manifold chamber.

3. An applicator as defined in claim 1 including a mass of resilient, compressible, bibulous material in which said infusion members are embedded, said mass being disposed within said retaining wall and extending from the base of said infusion members to adjacent their tips, thereby facilitating application of said liquid both to the surface and to the interior of said tress.

4. An applicator for applying a hair-treating liquid to a wound tress of hair, the individual fibers of which are aligned with respect to each other, said applicator comprising a manifold chamber, an array of spaced projecting infusion members mounted on a wall of said manifold chamber and extending outwardly therefrom adapted to part said hair fibers and penetrate into said wound tress when pressed thereagainst, each said infusion member having at least one open channel extending along a side thereof from its base toward its tip, each said channel communicating with the interior of said manifold chamber through said wall and each channel facing in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent hair fibers of the tress which have been parted by the infusion member, and an outwardly projecting retaining wall secured to said chamber wall completely circumscribing said array.

5. An applicator for applying a hair-treating liquid to both the surface and the interior of a wound tress of hair comprising an elongated manifold chamber having an elongated array of apertures extending along a wall thereof, a hair-penetrating member projecting outwardly from said wall at each aperture, an open channel communicating with each aperture and extending along each said member from its base toward its tip, each said channel facing transversely of the longitudinal axis of said array, a retaining wall projecting outwardly from said chamber Wall completely circumscribing said array, and a mass of resilient, spongy, bibulous material disposed within said retaining wall surrounding each said hairpenetrating member and extending outwardly from said chamber wall to adjacent the tips of said hair-penetrating members.

6*. An applicator as defined in claim 5 in which a portion of said retaining wall is cut away arcuately adjacent each end of the elongated array to accommodate a wound tress having a greater overall length than the length of said array.

7. An applicator for applying a hair-treating liquid to a hair pin-curl comprising a manifold chamber, a generally circular array of spaced projecting infusion members mounted on a wall of said manifold chamber and extending outwardly therefrom adapted to part the hair fibers and penetrate into said pin-curl when pressed, each said infusion member having a channel extending along a side thereof from its base toward its tip, each said channel communicating with the interior of said manifold chamber through said wall and each channel facing in a direction transverse to a radius from said channel to the center of said array, and an outwardly projecting retaining wall secured to said chamber wall completely circumscribing said array.

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